Merlin's magic (Oneshots) 1

Wired (part 6): the trial

Arthur was nervous. He was still standing in his room, looking out the window. A servant had brought him breakfast an hour ago, but he hadn't even touched it.
He was wearing a loose white shirt and black pants. He should get dressed soon.
But he knew Merlin wasn't coming to dress him in his usual formal attire. He dreaded the moment another servant would step up and tell him what to wear.
Somehow, they never managed to get Arthur's tastes right.
To be fair, his taste was getting insulted while being dressed, just to have a reason to knock Merlin on the head with a goblet.

A soft knock interrupted his silence, while he watched hundreds of people gathering in the court yard.
Strange. The last time a trial had been held publicly was on the 20th anniversary of the purge his father had started.
Executions were public almost all the time.
But the trial itself.... rare thing that one.
Ironically, it had been the day Arthur had first met Merlin.

'The day he arrived in Camelot, he saw an execution.', Arthur's head explained to him. By this point, the realization hardly hit him anymore. It was like hitting another stone on a bombarded ship that was already sinking.
'A day later, he saved my life.', his mind unhelpfully added and he closed his eyes at the clenching feeling in his heart.
The memory of how Merlin became his manservant had always been a treasured one for Arthur. Because it showed how incredibly kind Merlin was. It wasn't loyalty. Not really. Merlin had neither known nor cared about Arthur's status back then.
In fact, he had shown a form of hostility that was the prelude to their later bantering dynamic.
Now all Arthur could wonder was, if it had been real. Had Merlin saved his life, because that's just who Merlin was? Or had he been told to do that?

"Arthur. We need to talk.", Gwen's gentle steps went almost unnoticed in Arthur's loud steps.
When he turned around to face her, she looked angry and frustrated. Her hands were balled to fists and her mouth was trembling slightly.
Arthur had honestly expected her earlier. But Gwen rarely came unprepared. She always knew exactly what she wanted to say, wherever she went.

"I'm listening.", Arthur nodded at her to continue.
God, she was beautiful.
She had such wonderful brown eyes, her hair always looked like it needed two servants to make the locks shine like that and her dark skin radiated almost golden in the early morning sun. It was the kind of gold you would search for in a treasure hunt. The most rare and expensive kind.
Gwen's presence alone felt like it was worth a kingdom and she never failed to make Arthur smile.

Maybe 'never' was the wrong word. Arthur wasn't smiling right now.

"I've talked to Lancelot and he told me about the trial. He told me that Merlin used magic?"
She looked desperate and confused. Like she hardly believed it. Her eyes searching for something, a hint of sorts, in Arthur's eyes.
Of course she had talked to Lancelot. But it was also so Gwen, that she wanted Arthur's confirmation first.

Arthur merely nodded.

"Arthur -", she heaved. "Merlin is your friend. I am SURE he had good reasons! Percival even said he closed the veil! He's always been loyal to you. How can you do this to him? He TRUSTS you, Arthur!", she stepped closer and grabbed him by the shoulders, as if that could make him see sense.

"You make it sound, like I'm betraying him, not the other way around.", Arthur commented coldly. Not because he believed it to be true. No... his mind and heart were still arguing about that.
But he wanted Gwen's advise so badly. Was he doing the right thing?
Was he right to trust Merlin? After everything?

Gwen had always been a good influence on him. She always knew what he was thinking. She knew who Arthur was at heart and which decisions would be good for him, his conscience AND the kingdom.